Persuasion

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Harriet Stevens

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Anne Elliott, the middle daughter of the vain, judgmental and lavish Baronet, Sir Walter Elliott, is persuaded by her family friend, Lady Russell, not to wed the man of her dreams, Captain Wentworth. Ultimately regretting her decision to do so, years later, as fate would have it, Anne once again crosses path with Wentworth in another town.

When Sir Walter and his daughters are forced to let their Estate - Kellynch Hall - to pay off Sir Walters debts, the family ends up relocating to Bath.

Anne is tortured by her newfound proximity to her old love, Captain Wentworth, whom she has never forgotten. While staying with her sister, Mary, Anne must watch as Captain Wentworth courts Mary's sister-in-law Louisa, whilst keeping his distance from Anne and treating her with cold civility.

Dodging the affections of a recently acquainted cousin, and discovering Captain Wentworth’s relationship with Louisa to be non-existent, Anne finds her love of Captain Wentworth to be not unrequited and the two have a second chance at a new and happy life together.

The story is told and brought to life by the wonderful vocal talents of the United Kingdom's very own Harriet Stevens.

©2014 A.R.N. Publications (P)2014 A.R.N. Publications

A performance that matches the story

I like it when the voice reasonably matches the profile of the main character...I searched and searched for Austen performances but the options are dominated by voices that remind me of a British grandmother rather than a young woman. Some of the voices are creaky! But this performance is so well matched to the story. Wish there was more like it!

Wow!

Would you listen to Persuasion again? Why?

I’m awestruck….Persuasion is indeed an incredible story which effortlessly captivates you with its dynamic plot and breathtaking suspense. The perfectly placed twists and turns intensified the romantic atmosphere of this book. Undoubtedly, I was hooked by the unique tone of voice of the narrator which nailed each character without mercy. All in all, this top notch book has captivated my attention and left me craving for more. Thumbs up!

Not this narrator!

This my favorite of Jane Austen's books. But this narrator is not to be borne! Every word that ends in -ing comes out as -ink which is VERY distracting and I am not able to enjoy the story.

a favorite

This is my favorite Austen story. It was easy to follow the narration, but I finally did get tired of Stevens. She overdid, in my opinion, the "prim and proper" voice and ended up sounding snobbish. Certainly Austen skewers the snobbery of her time (and does it particularly well in this book), but she also has a warmth for her characters, and Stevens' narration did not convey any warmth.

Charming and Classic

As a lifelong fan of Jane Austen’s work, I have read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility numerous times throughout high school and college. All of my English teachers and professors adored her. But I’ve never really explored any other of her works. So when I needed a new book to read, I decided to look at some of her other works.

Persuasion stuck out to me, partially because I’d never heard it’s title mentioned. After a bit of research, I decided to purchase the audio version of the work because I knew it would be easier than trying to read the book on my Kindle with my toddler son climbing all over me.

I was mesmerized by the work and really loved all that Austen had to say about how we allow our friends and family to influence and even, perhaps, manipulate us. I’d read several other reviews that stated they believed this to be Austen’s greatest work and I’m inclined to agree.

The narrator is excellent, giving a depth to the work that you wouldn’t get by merely reading it. Her voice was clear and strong and I really enjoyed the unique tone and pitch she gave to each character.

If you’re looking for a classic to read, I highly recommend this one!